At least eight people were injured and more than 15,000 people were forced to flee in Japan's southern province of Kagoshima as one of the most powerful typhoons in years approached, Japanese media reported Monday. Typhoon Nabi, generating winds of about 162 kilometres per hour near its centre, caused temporary power cuts in about 25,000 households on the main southern island of Kyushu. Roofs were damaged and traffic disrupted in the region. A 61-year-old man drowned in a street flooded by the heavy rain in the Tokyo region. More than 2,800 houses were flooded and about 7,000 households were temporarily without electricity. Several motorways near Tokyo were closed. The heavy rain was put down to atmospheric imbalances caused by the approaching typhoon in the south which was moving at a speed of 15 kilometres per hour and was 120 southwest of Yakushima island Monday evening. Authorities said to expect prolonged periods of rainfall. The 14th typhoon of the season was approaching from the Pacific and expected to hit land at Kyushu Island Tuesday morning, media reported. The storm was expected to bring about 800 millimetres of rain to the southern Kyushu region by Tuesday evening. --More 2305 Local Time 2005 GMT
